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"Why do I live like I'm in chains when you have set me free? And why do I have to break Your heart before I fall to my knees? I know it's time to pray for change - give all I have to give...I want to love You better than this. So renew me, remake me, undo me, unbreak me. Come into the empty spaces of my broken places and consume me, complete me, pursue me, redeem me. Let Your Holy Spirit living through me renew me."
Avalon - 'Renew Me'
MQ: What do you guys do on the road to stay focused, growing spiritually?
Jody: She reads like a crazy woman - I mean, I've never seen somebody go through books like Melissa does. Obviously it's important for us to stay in the Word first and foremost and I've been really convicted of that in my life because it's something that takes discipline and I'm not necessarily the most disciplined person in the world.
Melissa: Especially when you're on the road because it's so easy - even though you have a lot of time - it's so easy just to sleep a lot, or, you know, hang out and watch movies. It's just a choice that you have to make every morning. Especially for us when we're on the road because we're not in a church setting that often, as far as us being fed spiritually, you have to make a conscious decision to get into the Word. You don't have to read books, but that's just one way that God ministers to me, but we got a bunch of preaching cd's that a friend of ours passed on to us that we passed throughout the bus this tour and it was great because we really got ministered to through that. It's just a choice - a daily choice - for every Christian, obviously, in their walk, but especially when you get out on the road because it's easy to not make that choice.
MQ: What do you love most about music in general?
Jody: I think I love music because it...it shatters every boundary. I love that fact that I can be striking up a conversation with someone on an airplane and you tell them that you do music, that you are a musician and they are fascinated by that. Then it opens up a door for you to be able to talk about Christ - you know, 'I do Christian music and this is what I believe.' But I think even people who are sort of like myself ... I don't necessarily care to sit and listen to somebody talk for an hour. So that's why I've always kind of been antsy in church - not because I'm convicted, it's just that I have A.D.D. in a sense - and I don't want to hear anybody talk for a hour, no matter how great they are. If somebody gets up and sings...I'm there! You could sing for 40 hours and I'd be focused. I think music is appealing to everyone.
Melissa: Right, it touches people in a way...like no other specific thing can. Whether it's Christian music or not...I think if you hear a symphony play or a classical piece, it will move you. And so then with Christian music, because hopefully Christ is in that, it's just an amazing opportunity. I think that's the best thing about it, watching people's reactions to what we do. We try to support a lot of other artists and when we are watching people in the audience - the way they react to what someone else is doing on that stage - and when that person is giving the glory back to God, it's an amazing thing to see.
Jody: There is an actual physical change in someone's expression...
Melissa: Yeah...
Jody: You see somebody out in the audience, usually we can only see the first few rows because of the lights and everything, but you can see some in the audience and they are enjoying themselves and you start to sing a song like 'Adonai' or 'Everything To Me' or something like that and they are focused on the song. Then...I don't know if it's the spirit of God that overcomes them or if they realize what the song is about...but their expression changes and it's almost like you can see the compassion and the love of Christ on their face. You know - that's amazing and then you know our music is making contact here - this stuff is working. It's a great feeling.
MQ: What would you say you love most about being in Avalon?
Melissa: The same thing...I think the reaction - being in God's will and seeing that what we do is...God is allowing us to be a part in somebody's life and changing them as someone else is to us when we go listen...I think that's the best part.
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